I've tried to include a lot of web links in case you want to read more about the places we visited.

Our drive to BCNP included an overnight stop in Grand Junction, CO. They have a winding Main Street with trees and little park spaces.

There are a handful of fountains including this one which changes patterns. You're never sure how the water will spray.

There is a lot of art tucked in along the street.

On Sunday, we arrived at our main destination. BCNP was breathtaking!!!

The canyon is filled with interesting rock formations. The colors include orange, white, pink, purple and red with the green of the pine trees. There are a lot of overlooks. You can drive along the rim and stop at each one. They are all beautiful.

We then returned to the road along the rim in BCNP to see more of the overlooks we hadn't gotten to yet.

It was interesting to see water run down the rock formations in the canyon.

Even in the rain, the colors are great.

We did find it ironic that we went to the Desert Southwest to see a real rain.

Tuesday afternoon, the clouds broke apart and we got in a bike ride.

There is a paved bike trail along Scenic Highway 12 just west of BCNP in Dixie National Forest. My wonderful husband recorded this video of me biking the trail. You'll notice the highway and red rock formations on the right. There is a wash where water flows on the left. I was amazed he got this steady of a video while biking.

We went west on the trail first which was mostly downhill. We had a bit of a workout coming back east. We just stopped often to rest and take photos of the amazing scenery.

I took these photos at the hotel where we stayed just to show all my blogging friends that this tree is loved.

On the day we left BCNP, we made a stop at Kodachrome Basin State Park where they believe sand deposits filled in former geyser vents. Today, the softer rock around the vents is gone leaving these spires.

We found a place to stay for Thursday night and then took a road trip across northern New Mexico with our last night's stay in Cimarron, NM. This is the St. James Hotel. There are many tales of gunfights here (they have the bullet holes in the old dining room ceiling still). Famous "old west" people stayed here and it is said to be haunted.

Our room was in the annex south of the main hotel which is a standard hotel because all the historic rooms were booked. The hotel has a modern restaurant with a patio/entertainment area out back. Since it was Friday, there was a live band. The town has a lot of history and we walked around town reading about its interesting past.

Our last day of vacation included checking out the many Santa Fe Trail ruts which can be seen near Cimarron. Picture wagons coming over this hill.

Sunday, September 16, 2012

We took a little time to get away last week traveling many miles to see new landscapes. A rain while we were gone kept the garden going. Once I dig out of the pile of mail, the laundry we drug home and find out what's waiting for me at work, I'll share some travel photos and some surprises in the garden upon our return.